Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey
by Darkfire Dragon28
Summary: Alchemy has been returned to Weyard, but a new threat is on the rise. Now, it is up to the Heroes of Vale & their new friends to stop it, solving the numerous mysteries surrounding their new friend Darkfire along the way, mysteries not even Darkfire knows the answers to. Rated for language, strong violence, and gore. On hiatus
1. Chapter 1

**Hey people! Darkfire here, this is my second attempt at writing fanfiction and I'm hoping that it'll turn out better than last time. Before I begin, a few warnings. 1: The main character of this story is me and I know some people don't like that. 2: This fic involves dragons and half dragons living in Weyard. 3: In keeping true to the game series, the main character will, by the end of the story, be insanely overpowered. That's about it! And remember, if you don't like it, don't read it.**

**Disclaimer: Golden Sun is the property of Nintendo and Camelot. The OC Neri belongs to Souldragon12 and is used with permission.**

**Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey**

**Chapter 1**

It's been a year since the Heroes of Vale reignited the four lighthouses and saved all of Weyard. News of their heroic feat has spread all over the world, bringing them fame. And now, they're coming to my village and I'll finally get to meet them. But I can't help but wonder, what will they think when they see me? Will they think I'm a monster? Or will they be willing to see past my appearance and accept me?

"Darkfire!"

I'm snapped out of my thoughts as I hear my mother call for me.

"Darkfire! It's almost time to go!"

"Coming mom!"

As I get ready to go, I quickly grab my pack and my sword, placing both on my back where they rest comfortably between my wings. On the way out of my room I pause to look in the mirror. Most people find my appearance startling. It's not my thick, dark brown hair that they notice. No, the first things they notice are my wings, my tail, and the pitch black scales that cover most of my body. Next they notice my startling, red-brown eyes and my razor-sharp teeth. Now, I know what you're wondering. You're wondering "What the hell is that thing?" It's okay, that's what everyone thinks when they first see me. To answer your question, I'm part dragon. My father was a full-blood dragon and my mother was a half-dragon.

Satisfied with my appearance, I quickly exit my room and head downstairs to meet up with my parents. As I rush down the stairs I trip on my tail and end up falling down the last few steps.

"Ow…" Groaning in pain, I slowly get up and dust myself off before I turn to look at my parents.

"Are you okay?" My mother, a silver scaled half dragon, asks me.

Noticing the concern in her voice, I quickly reply, "I'm fine mom."

"You should really be more careful Darkfire." Hearing my dad's voice, I turn to look at him.

My dad is rather unique among dragons. There are very few gold-scaled dragons alive, and my dad happens to be one of them.

As we're getting ready to leave, I hear a familiar voice, "Same old Darkfire."

Sighing, I greet the only friend I have in the whole village, "Hey Neri…"

On cue, Neri, a 15 year old, female half-dragon with long, copper colored hair and pure, white scales walks in. Unlike me or my mother, Neri can change into a human form, whereas me and my mom can only become partially human. "So, what're you guys up to?"

My mother is quick to reply, "We're getting ready to go see the Warriors of Vale."

This reply surprises Neri, "The Warriors of Vale? They're here?"

This time, I respond. "Yeah, they came here cause they heard there's some Adepts in this village. You want to come too?"

"Yeah!" Neri replies excitedly.

Laughing at my friend's overly-excited response, I speak. "Well, come on then! Let's go!"

Five minutes later, we arrive at the center of the village, where a crowd has gathered to see the Warriors of Vale. As usual, my families presence instantly catches the attention of the entire crowd, including the Warriors of Vale, who have a look of shock on their faces.

Isaac is the first one to get over their shock and quickly asks the question that is on everyone's minds, "Who and what are you?"

Anticipating this question, I'm quick to reply, "My name is Darkfire Ryukin, I'm a part-dragon. That's my dad, Gold. He's a full-blood dragon. That's my mom, Silvera. She's a half-dragon. And that's my friend Neri. She's a half-dragon like my mom."

Surprised, Felix is the next to speak. "You're dragons?"

"Well, technically only my dad is a true dragon, but the rest of us are part-dragons." I respond. "I'm really excited to finally meet you guys. You guys are famous among both Adepts AND dragons!"

This surprises them even more, and Isaac asks a question, "Why are we famous among dragons?"

My dad is the one who responds this time, "Because you guys know Tiamat and Eclipse!"

Remembering something that's been bugging me for a while, I turn to Isaac and ask him a question, "Hey Isaac? I was wondering if you could tell me something about my Psynergy."

This surprises the Adepts, "You have Psynergy?"

"Yeah. I'm an Adept."

Getting back on topic, Isaac asks, "What about your Psynergy?"

I reply, "Well… Why is it so different? Why can I use all four Elements? I thought Adepts could only use one Element depending on what type of Adept they are."

Shocked, Isaac asks me, "You can use all the Elements?"

Startled by his reaction, I reply, "Ye-Yeah. Do you know why?"

The Warriors of Vale all look to each other before Isaac responds, "I have no idea. Maybe Kraden will know."

Our conversation is interrupted by the crowd of people who came to see the famous Adepts, "Hey! Show us one of your Summons!"

Surprised by the sudden comment, the Warriors of Vale turn to face the crowd before looking to each other and nodding, "All right."

Jenna and Sheba step forward and concentrate, glowing. Then finally, they use the two Summons I was hoping they wouldn't. They summoned Tiamat and Eclipse.

Having just been summoned, the two great dragons look around, and immediately spot me.

"You!" Tiamat yells as I cower in fear. "What are you doing here Dark One?"

Still cowering in fear, I reply shakily, "P-Please don't hurt me! I-I didn't do anything!"

Angered by my presence, the two great dragons approach me, ready to strike me down. "You will die here and now, Dark One!"

Just as they're about to strike me, my mother intervenes, "Please! Don't hurt him!"

This sudden interruption surprises the two Great Dragons and they turn to face my mother. "Why not? Why should we spare him? He is one of the Dark Ones!"

Crying, my mother begs, "Please! He's my son! He hasn't done anything wrong!"

"He has done wrong by simply existing. He has black scales and bears the Mark of the Dark Ones. He is an abomination."

As I sit there crying, numerous questions enter my head, "Wh-What do you mean? What's wrong with my scales? How am I a Dark One? What are the Dark Ones? I-I don't understand any of this!"

My response seems to surprise the two Great Dragons, "How do you not know? You bear the mark, you must know of the Dark Ones."

"I was born like this. I've been like this for as long as I can remember. I've never even heard of these Dark Ones you keep talking about."

Confused, Tiamat turns to Eclipse "What do you think? Should we destroy this child?"

Eclipse seems to think for a moment before replying, "No. He is little more than a hatchling. He does not even know what he is. Perhaps he could be of use to us."

"How so?" Tiamat asks, confused by her companions words.

"Think about it. Never before has one of the Dark Ones questioned their fate. They have always killed and sought destruction. Yet this child who bears their mark seems ignorant, even innocent. Perhaps he will be the key to ending this conflict and destroying the Dark Ones."

"Perhaps you are right." Tiamat then turns to me and speaks, "Very well child. We shall spare you. Travel to the remains of Sol Sanctum, we shall await you there." Tiamat then turns and prepares to leave, "Good luck child. You will need it if you are to resist the darkness inside you." And with that, the two Great Dragons fly away.

"Well…" Surprised, I turn to face the speaker, Isaac, "That was unexpected… You seem to be surrounded by mysteries. We'll take you to Sol Sanctum, Kraden should be there studying whatever's left of it."

"Are you okay Darkfire?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine mom."

Neri looks saddened by the fact that I'm going to be leaving, "Are you really going, Darkfire?"

I turn to face my best friend and reply, "Yeah. I want to find out what they know about me."

Isaac nods, "All right, let's get going."

"Okay…" As we're about to leave, I hear a familiar chirp that causes me stop and turn around.

Noticing that I stopped, Isaac turns around to check on me, "Hey Darkfire? Are you okay?" Then he notices that I'm staring at a small Dirge that stares back at me. The moment he sees it, Isaac draws his sword.

Noticing this action, I quickly shout, "Stop!" As I shout, I quickly rush over to the Dirge and kneel down, gently petting its head. "It's okay girl. I won't let them hurt you."

Surprised by my actions, Isaac quickly yells, "What are you doing? Get away from that monster before it attacks you!"

Turning to face Isaac, I reply "It's okay. She's my friend. Her name's Ithy." As I finish speaking, Ithy chirps in response and flies up to my shoulder. "I'm going to bring her with me. Hey Neri!"

Surprised by my voice, Neri turns to face me "Yeah?"

"You wanna come too?"

Surprised by this question, Neri excitedly replies, "Yes!"

"Alright! It's settled then!" Hearing this, I quickly turn to face Isaac. "Let's go to Sol Sanctum!"

And with that, we depart. My journey has begun, and who knows what the future holds for me? I am Darkfire Ryukin, and this is my journey.

**Done! This first chapter has created many questions, and many more are still to come. What will the future hold? Who or what are the Dark Ones? Why can Darkfire use all four elements? The answer is… A secret! You'll have to wait to find out! Read and Review! And remember, flamers will be tortured and killed! Bye!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Hello again people! It's me, Darkfire and today I've got a brand new chapter for all of you! I noticed that, while several of you have read my first chapter, none of you have reviewed. You should, that way I'll know what's good and what needs to be changed. But anyway, on with the story!**_

**Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey**

**Chapter 2**

It's been a day since we left my small village, and so far nothing all that interesting has happened. We've made it to the small town of Vault and have stocked up on supplies for the dangerous journey to the remains of Sol Sanctum. For some unknown reason, more and more monsters have been showing up around what was once the town of Vale… And they're getting more aggressive every day. _'I wonder if it has anything to do with these Dark Ones that Tiamat and Eclipse mentioned…'_

"Hey Darkfire?"

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by the voice of one of my companions, Isaac.

"Yeah Isaac?"

Isaac looks at me and says, "Why haven't you said anything? You've just been staring off into space."

Sighing, I reply, "I've been thinking about what Tiamat and Eclipse said…"

Isaac nods before responding, "You're wondering about just who or what the Dark Ones Tiamat mentioned are, aren't you?"

"Not just that, why did they say I was one of the Dark Ones? And how did Tiamat know about my mark? I've never shown it to anybody."

Isaac thinks for a moment before speaking again, "Well, when I met you, I remember seeing some sort of mark on your left arm."

Hearing this, I look at my arm in thought, "I thought had covered that up… Then again, I always thought it was just a birthmark, and apparently I was wrong about that…"

Feeling a hand placed on shoulder, I look up to face Isaac as he speaks, "It's okay Darkfire. We'll figure this out."

"Thanks"

"Come on let's get some sleep."

"Yeah."

That night, I'm plagued by dark dreams.

_My village is burning. People are lying on the ground, dead. Everywhere I look I see nothing but death._

"_**Do you like what we've done?"**_

_Surprised by the voice, I turn to look at the source and am horrified by what I see. I'm staring at myself, covered in blood-red runic markings, with a dark, sadistic grin on my face._

"_Wh-Who are you?"_

_Laughing, the figure responds. __**"Foolish child. I am you. I am what you are to become. You're parents sought to protect you, to prevent you from becoming what you are meant to be. A true Dark One." **__The supposed 'me' laughs again before continuing, __**"But your parents could not shelter you forever. Soon, I will be free, and then, we shall make this world burn!"**_

_Horrified by my dark-self's words, I start to back away, screaming all the while. "No! You-You're lying!"_

_At this, my dark-self starts laughing,__** "You really believe that you can be good? You are one of the Dark Ones! You have their Darkness inside of you! You cannot escape your fate! I WILL be free, and when I am, our body shall be mine! I will make this world burn, and you will be helpless to stop me! You will be forced to watch as I use your body to kill the very ones you love!"**_

"_No! NO! YOURE LYING!"_

"_**Believe what you want, but I speak the truth."**_

At that moment I wake up, drenched in sweat and begin crying until I eventual pass out and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**The next day**

"We're here!"

Sheba points to someone in the distance and says, "Hey look! It's Kraden!"

As our group rushes over to meet Kraden, Jenna calls out to him, "Hey Kraden!"

Surprised by the sudden voice, Kraden looks up from whatever he's studying and, upon noticing his friends, speaks. "Hello Jenna, Isaac, Garet, Felix, Sheba, Ivan, Mia." Then Kraden notices me and is surprised that his friends have brought a stranger to see him. "And who is this?" It's then that Kraden notices my strange appearance. "Better yet, _what _is this?"

Concerned about what Kraden might think of my, I reply shyly, "I-I'm Darkfire Ryukin. I'm a part-dragon. My dad was a full-blood dragon and my mom was a half-dragon."

Nodding, Kraden greets me, "Well, it's nice to meet you Darkfire." Then he turns to face Isaac, "And why have you come all this way to see me?"

"We came because of Darkfire."

Confused, Kraden asks, "What about him?"

"Darkfire here is an Adept and he says he can use all four Elements."

This surprises Kraden greatly, "An Adept? And he can use all four Elements?"

This time, I'm the one who replies, "Yes, but while I can use all four Elements, my Psynergy isn't as strong as most Adepts…"

By now, Kraden is interested enough that he's begun examining me, looking at everything from my horns, to my arms, to my wings, and even my tail.

"Well, he's definitely the most interesting Adept I've ever seen. Can you show me some of your Psynergy?"

Nodding, I reply, "Yes sir."

Focusing, I draw upon my power and, once I'm confident that I won't fail, I use my Psynergy. "Flare!"

Much to my surprise, my Psynergy comes out much stronger than normal.

Thinking that I lied, Garet starts yelling at me. "YOU CALL THAT WEAK? YOU ALMOST BURNT OFF MY HAIR!"

Terrified, I start cowering and reply, "I-I'm sorry! It's never been that strong before, I swear! Please don't hurt me!"

Sighing, Isaac turns to face Garet before speaking. "Dammit Garet, you're scaring him. You know that he's been abused by everyone except his parents and Neri his whole life because of the way he looks. If you keep screaming at him like that, you're gonna traumatize him even more than he already is."

Concerned, Neri approaches me and speaks gently, "It's okay Darkfire. Garet won't hurt you. He may be a bit of a spaz, but he's not like the people in the village. He's not gonna hurt you like they did."

Still cowering, I look up to face Neri and speak. "Are you sure?"

Nodding, Neri replies, "Yes, I'm sure."

Getting up, I nod. "Okay."

Noticing that I've calmed down, Kraden turns and asks me to show him more of my Psynergy.

Nodding, I reply. "Okay." Then I once again begin focusing on using my Psynergy and show them Quake, Whirl Wind, and Douse.

Stunned, Kraden speaks. "Incredible. I've never known of an Adept who was able use all four Elements. But judging by the range in power of your Psynergy, I'd say you're primarily an Earth oriented Adept."

At that moment, Felix remembers my encounter with Tiamat and Eclipse. "Hey, weren't we supposed to go to Sol Sanctum?"

Upon hearing this, we all suddenly recall Tiamat's words.

Sighing, I speak. "Oh yeah… We have to go meet Tiamat and Eclipse… Let's go."

And with that, we set off, explaining the situation to Kraden as we walk. After about twenty minutes of walking, we arrive at the remains of Sol Sanctum.

"Ah, Dark One. You have come. Good."

Surprised, I look around for the source of the voice and eventually spot Tiamat as she lands.

Nervous about being around the Great Dragon, I speak. "Y-Yeah. I'm here. Can you please explain to me what's going on? How did you know about my mark? And who or what are the Dark Ones?"

"I will explain all young one. But first…"

The next thing I notice is a blinding flash of light and a burning pain that spreads through my body, causing me to scream. Once it's all over, I collapse to the floor, panting. "Wh-What did you do to me?"

"I have given you a gift. You have recently been plagued by dark dreams, have you not?"

Surprised, I respond. "Y-Yeah. How did you know?"

Tiamat chuckles at my response before becoming serious once again. "I have been watching you ever since our first meeting and have been able to sense the darkness growing inside you. In order to prevent your nightmares from becoming a reality I have given you a gift. With it, you may be able to overcome the darkness inside you, and perhaps even defeat the Dark Ones."

"That figure from my dreams… That was-"

"You. More specifically, that figure was what you would have become had I not intervened. You would have become a monster, a creature that would stop at nothing to spread chaos and destruction across the world, corrupting the very land with its evil. You would have become the only Dark One to possess the power of all four Elements, and would have caused much sorrow."

Next, Eclipse speaks. "But we have done what we can to stop the darkness from consuming you."

At this, I become hopeful. "So… I'm not going to turn into a monster?"

Sighing, Tiamat replies. "Unfortunately, there is still a chance that you will become that monster… But perhaps there is a way."

Desperate, I begin to beg. "Please! I don't want to turn into a monster!"

"Very well then. First, go to the four Lighthouses. There, you shall face a test. If you are able to overcome the challenges at each Lighthouse, you shall be given a gift. With these, you may be able to resist the darkness that lives inside of you. Do you accept this task?"

"Yes!"

"Very well. First, head to mercury Lighthouse. If you pass the test, then you will be permitted to access the Lighthouse Aerie. You will find me waiting for you there. Now go."

With that, the Great Dragons take their leave.

"Well," Isaac says, "That was unexpected. I guess we're going to Mercury Lighthouse."

"You're actually going to come with me?" I ask, surprised.

Nodding, Isaac replies. "Of course. We've gone this far so we might as well keep going. Right guys?"

One by one, the others all agree. Then, after taking a minute to ready ourselves, we set off for Mercury Lighthouse, where the first challenge awaits us. Hopefully I can overcome these challenges and be saved from the darkness that threatens to consume me. Only time will tell if I'll be successful, or if I'll fail and turn into the monster that plagues my dreams at night. But whatever happens, my friends will be by my side throughout it all.

_**A/N: Done! That's chapter 2 people! Some questions have been answered, but with these answers comes new questions! If you want to find out what happens next, you'll just have to keep reading! Remember to Read & Review people!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey people! Darkfire here with another chapter! I had hoped to get a few more reviews before posting this, but I think I've waited long enough. So here you go!**

**Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey**

**Chapter 3**

We've been walking for hours, and now we've finally reached the Goma Caves.

"The entrance to the caves should be just up ahead." Issac says.

Sure enough, the entrance comes into sight moments later. Problem is, there's something else there too. Something big and very, very aggressive. Seven somethings to be exact. Seven, hideously disfigured, dragon-shaped monsters.

Roaring, the monsters charge at us, intent on ending our lives.

Dodging blow after blow, Issac manages to speak, "What is this thing?"

Fighting his own monster, Ivan replies. "I don't know, but they definitely aren't friendly."

Irritated by their lack of success, the monsters move back out of range before charging me all at once.

"Oh shit…"

Before anyone can react, the monsters are upon me. And the next thing I know, I'm on the ground with a hideous monster on top of me and in incredible pain.

Standing over me, the monster does the last thing I'd ever expected a monster to do, it speaks. "You cannot fight it, child. You cannot fight the Darkness that lives inside you. Soon it will consume you. Soon, you will be one of us."

Horrified, I struggle against the creature, screaming. "No… No! You're lying!"

Laughing, the creature replies. "Believe what you want child. You _will _be one of us."

Finishing off the other monsters, my companions rush to my side attempting to get the creature away from me. But before they get more than a few feet, the creature strikes me, leaving a huge gash across my chest.

Crying out in pain, I struggle against the creature even more. Angered by my resistance, the creature strikes me again, leaving another large gash across my face.

Upon seeing this, Neri roars before changing into her dragon form and savagely attacking the creature, killing it in seconds. Even after it's dead, Neri doesn't stop and soon there's a large, ever expanding pool of blood where the creature once stood.

Struggling to remain conscious, I groan from the intense pain caused by my wounds.

Hearing this, my companions rush to my side to examine my wounds and are horrified by what they see. The gash on my chest is bleeding profusely and is deep enough that they're able to see my bones and my internal organs, while the wound on my face is more shallow but no less devastating. The wound is a long, curved gash that goes from between my horns to my right cheek, going straight through my right eye, which is completely destroyed, leaving me with only one working eye.

Horrified by my condition, Issac is the first to speak. "My God… This looks really bad."

Lying there in a pool of my own blood, I use what little strength I have left to speak. "Please… Help me…"

Suddenly, the pain intensifies, and I know no more.

**POV Shift**

**Issac's POV**

"Darkfire!" I scream, watching as he passes out from blood loss. "Dammit!" Turning around, I speak. "We have to get him back to Vault!"

Hearing this, Ivan speaks. "How? If we try to move him, he'll probably bleed out!"

"I should be able to at least keep him alive long enough to reach Vault." Mia says.

Nodding, Issac replies. "Do it."

Focusing, Mia begins using her Psynergy to try and slow down the bleeding while the others pick him up carefully and I take position to fight off any more monsters that show up.

About an hour later, we arrive at Vault and immediately make our way to the Inn.

As we walk, we hear the villagers whispering to one another.

"Look! It's the Warriors of Vale!"

"What's that thing their carrying?"

"Isn't that the dragon-kid that was here earlier?"

"What happened to them?"

The moment we enter the Inn, the innkeeper notices us and looks up from her work, a look of surprise on her face.

Noticing Darkfire, her look of surprise turns to one of shock and horror.

"What happened to him?" The innkeeper asks, horrified by Darkfire's condition.

"We were ambushed by a group of strange monsters unlike anything we've ever seen before. Darkfire here got the worst of it." I reply. "Could we have a room? It's probably going to take us several days to treat his wounds."

"Of course." The innkeeper replies, nodding. "And don't worry about paying for the room. These are dire circumstances."

"Thank you. Sheba?"

Upon hearing my voice, Sheba looks up. "Yeah, Issac?"

"Do you think you could go to the local shop and buy some Herbs and Potions? And maybe a few Vials and a Water of Life?" I ask. "We're probably going to need it."

"Sure thing, Issac!" Sheba replies before rushing off.

"Here are the keys to your room." The innkeeper says.

"Thank you."

Slowly and carefully, we move Darkfire into the room and gently lay him down on one of the beds. Once Darkfire is safely in the bed, Mia begins working, trying to heal some of his wounds.

About ten minutes later, the door to the room opens and Sheba walks in, accompanied by the healer who works at the local Sanctum.

Noticing this, I turn to face Sheba before speaking. "Quickly Sheba! We need to hurry or he'll bleed to death!"

At that moment, the healer notices the extent of Darkfire's wounds, and is horrified by what he sees. "Oh my… You weren't kidding when you said he was barely alive."

Turning to face the healer, Sheba speaks. "Is there anything you can do?"

"I'll do what I can." The healer replies, nodding.

The next four hours are filled with tension as we desperately try to heal Darkfire's wounds. Eventually, we are forced to go into a sort of improvised surgery. One that is bloodier than I would care to describe. Suffice to say that it was one of the most gruesome things I have ever seen in my life. But in the end, it all pays off as we are able to prevent Darkfire from bleeding to death.

Miraculously, none of his vital organs were damaged by the monsters. Though the same can't be said for his right eye, which is completely destroyed, leaving him with only one working eye.

As we sit there waiting for Darkfire to wake up, I can't help but wonder; what have we gotten ourselves into?

**Well, that's chapter 3 people! Pretty bloody, wasn't it? Yes? No? Well whatever your answer is, remember to read and review people! Until next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey people! Darkfire here and I've finally got a new chapter up! Sorry it's so short and I'm really sorry for the delay, but things happened and… Yeah. Well, on with the story!**

**Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey**

**Chapter 4**

*Darkfire's POV*

"Is he gonna be okay?"

Groaning, I open my eyes and begin looking around. "Where am I?" I ask, confused. "Why is everything all blurry?"

"You're at the inn in Vault. We brought you back here after the monsters attacked us," says a voice that I recognize as being Jenna's. "You're lucky to be alive; you lost a lot of blood."

Eventually my vision begins to clear up, but I notice that everything on the right side of my field of vision is still blurry. "Why can't I see out of my right eye?"

Everyone looks at each other before Mia finally responds, sighing. "Maybe it's better if I just show you."

Helping me up, Mia brings me over to the mirror hanging on the wall. As we walk, I notice how weak I feel. _'I must have lost a lot of blood.'_

When we reach the mirror, I'm shocked and horrified by what I see. My right eye is completely destroyed, a large curved gash evident on its surface. Turning my gaze to the rest of my body, I notice an even larger gash across my chest, one that, if the scar is anything to go by, has been healing for quite some time. My right wing is shredded, leaving me unable to fly for the time being, and there are numerous bandages on the rest of my body, all of them stained red with blood.

"I'm amazed you even survived long enough for us to get you back here," Issac says. "Anyone else probably would have died long before we reached town."

Still fixated on my injuries, I speak, horror evident in my voice, "My… My eye is gone. It's completely shredded, just like my wings…"

Now crying quietly more from despair than from the pain that has slowly crept back into my body, I collapse back onto the bed.

"How could this happen to me…?" I ask. "It'll be months before I'm able to fly again, and I'll never be able to see out of this eye again…"

At this point my quiet crying becomes louder as my despair mixes with the pain spreading through my body. "Why did they do this to me…?"

So wrapped up in my misery, I fail to notice the door to the room opening and three familiar people entering, not realizing their presence until I feel a comforting wing wrapped around my shoulder and hear a soothing voice that I recognize as that of my mother. "Oh Darkfire… What did they do to you?"

"Mom…?" I ask confused. "What… What are you doing here…?"

"Neri came to get us," she replies. "We were so worried about you! We're taking you home."

"Mom… I-I can't go home… If I don't do this I'll turn into one of those monsters…" I say. "I don't want to turn into one of those things."

The next hour is spent explaining everything that has happened since I left. Everything, the nightmares, the meeting with Tiamat and Eclipse, the encounter with the dark monsters. It's all explained to my parents in detail.

"Darkfire…" my mom says sadly. "We're not going to let you do this alone."

Confused, I turn to look at my family. "What do you mean?" I ask.

"We're coming with you," my dad replies. "We're not going to let you go through this alone. What would happen if you died? What would we do then? No, we won't let that happen. We're coming with you and that's final."

"You'd really do that for me…?" I ask confused. "But-But I'm a monster."

"Darkfire…" my mom says. "You are not a monster. As long as you continue to fight this you won't become the monster that's been tormenting you in your dreams."

"Your mother is right Darkfire," my dad says. "You're not a monster, and we won't let you become one. We're going to help you."

"You-You will?" I ask sadly.

"Yes. We will," my mom replies. "Get some rest, we're leaving tomorrow morning."

"Okay…" I say, slowly drifting into a deep, dreamless sleep. Now I have my parents here to help me, and tomorrow we're going back to the caves. Back to where the monsters attacked us. I just hope we don't have to fight those things again.

**A/N: Looks like Darkfire's parents are going to be joining this quest. And we got an interesting look into the mindset of a part-dragon that's suffered through numerous traumatic experiences throughout his whole life.**

**Next chapter, it's back to where it all happened. Back to where Darkfire nearly lost his life, Goma Caves. See you then!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey people! Darkfire here with another chapter! I know it's been a while since I've updated but things happened and then I got really bad writer's block so… Yeah… Anyway, on with the story!**

'_thoughts'_

**Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey**

**Chapter 5**

"So this is where it happened?" my mom asks.

"Yeah…" I answer quietly, caught up in my own thoughts. _'I hope those things don't show up again…'_

Looking around cautiously to ensure that there are no monsters around, our not-so-small party slowly makes its way to the entrance to the Goma Caves.

"Well," Issac says, "nothing so far. Looks like we might just make it through this without having to fight those things again."

Now standing at the entrance to the caves, I peer into the darkness, nervous about what might lie in wait for us within the caves themselves. Taking a deep breath, I nervously take the first step into the caverns, followed closely by the rest of the party.

As we take those first few steps, we can hear the sounds of dripping water and the scurrying of the small, rat-like monsters that inhabit the caves.

"Wow," Sheba says, "I'm surprised that there's a clearly marked path in here…"

"That's because the only path through the mountains to the other side of the continent is through these caves." Ivan replies.

"Wow. It must be difficult for merchants to get through." Piers says, "How do the towns on each side of the mountains trade with each other?"

At this point, I kind of just tuned them out and walked away. Cause really, why the hell do I care? _'I've got bigger problems. If we don't do this quickly, I'll turn into one of those things.'_

As I continue walking for the next ten minutes, I notice a change in the atmosphere. The monsters seem to have simply vanished, likely startled by something.

Suddenly, a new sound fills the caverns. The sound of shuffling feet and sliding metal.

Reacting quickly, I turn and draw my sword just in time to block an incoming blow. Pushing back against my assailant, I jump out of range only to get hit from behind and get pinned to the ground by a large net. Looking up, I watch as my assailants come into view. As I glare up at the two, armed men, my thoughts turn to my own stupidity. _'Bandits! Fuck! I shouldn't have just walked away from the others like that! Dammit! I'm so stupid!'_

"Well, look what we have here. I thought we had caught just another foolish traveler who thought they could make it through here alone," the bigger of the two says grinning, a large knife in his hand. "But instead we got us a dragon!"

At this comment the smaller of the two men laughs and pulls out a slightly smaller knife. It's at that moment that I realize exactly what they intend to do to me and immediately start struggling, desperately trying to escape. _'These bastards are gonna skin me alive!'_

"Well," the larger man continues, "technically it's not a full-blood, but a dragon is a dragon, even if it has some human in it!" Now kneeling down with his knife pressed against my chest, he whispers in my ear, "And we all know how valuable a dragon's hide is." Then he slowly begins cutting into me, while the smaller of the two men cuts through my shredded wing membranes, completely removing them.

Now screaming in pain, I struggle helplessly against the two men in hopes of landing a lucky blow on one of them. As the man makes one final cut with his blade I let out a single, pained roar that echoes throughout the caverns as he completely tears away all my skin up to my neck, leaving nothing but exposed muscle.

Within minutes the two have left, bringing my skin and wing membranes with them while I am left there to bleed to death, in too much pain to move as I slowly lose consciousness. Just before my vision fades, I am able to spot the exit a mere ten feet away, and then nothing.

**POV Shift**

**Gold's POV**

It's been ten minutes. Ten minutes since Darkfire wandered off, likely annoyed by the constant talking of the other members of our group. And now, we are desperately trying to find him.

"Has anyone found him?" I ask desperately, having just regrouped with the others.

Each and every one of them gives me the same answer, an answer I was hoping I wouldn't receive. "No."

Looking down as I am overwhelmed with, I wonder if he has already made it to the exit or if something has happened and he is lost in the caves, injured. _'Darkfire, my son, where are you?'_

Snapped out of my thoughts by a loud, pained roar I look up. "Darkfire!"

Rushing to find the source of the roar, we're horrified by what we find.

Darkfire's wing membranes have been completely removed, all the skin below his neck ripped right off his body, leaving the flesh and muscle underneath exposed. And then there is the blood. More blood than I have ever seen before, all lying in a pool beneath his unconscious form as more joins it, slowly falling from his exposed muscle.

Completely and utterly horrified by the sight of my son in such a condition, closer to death than he was even after the incident outside the caverns, I fall to my knees and let out a sorrowful roar.

So caught up in my grief, I barely notice when Issac speaks, "How did this happen? Who could have done this?"

Not knowing the answer, I say the only thing I can, "We… We have to get him to the nearest town…" Looking up slightly, I turn to face Mia. "Can… can you keep him alive long enough to reach town?"

Nodding, Mia gives me an answer that gives me hope, no matter how small, that my son might survive, "I think so. But we'll have to hurry."

Picking up Darkfire, we move as quickly as we can towards the exit. And from there, we head towards the town of Bilibin, all the while praying that he survives.

**A/N: Ok. I know what you're thinking and NO it was not necessary to almost kill Darkfire twice, however I felt that the Goma Caves would be a perfect environment for an ambush. Plus, I was planning on having one at some point in the story, so I figured I might as well just get it out of the way. As for whether or not he survives well… Take a guess; he IS the main character of this story.**

**~Remember to Read and Review~**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey people! It's been a while hasn't it? Uh, really not much to say other than that I seem to have gotten distracted while struggling against the horror known as writer's block. Well, on with the story!**

Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey

Chapter 6

*Issac's POV*

"Let's hurry and get him to the town of Bilibin." I say as Gold carefully picks up Darkfire. After checking to make sure he won't fall, we immediately start walking, moving as quickly as we dare towards the exit and then to Bilibin.

Moving quickly and carefully, we rush from Gomah Caves to the nearby town of Bilibin, miraculously avoiding any encounters with wild monsters.

Upon arriving in Bilibin, we're greated by shocked stares and surprised gasps from the numerous people gathered in the main square just inside the gates as they notice Darkfire, wings missing and the majority of his skin torn off, being carried in by us, Mia at his side doing everything in her power to help him.

"Move! Get out of the way!" Shouting, we push our way through the crowd, the majority of us taking Darkfire and heading for the local inn while Ivan and Garret go to the sanctum to find a healer.

Shouting and pushing, we move through the stunned crowd, forcing our way to the inn.

Once inside, we're immediately given a room by the shocked innkeeper and carefully place Darkfire on the bed as Mia continues to try to heal him, refusing to give up.

Turning to face Gold, I ask the one question that's been on everyone's minds since we found Darkfire's limp form, "Will he be ok?"

"I don't know…" Gold answers with a sigh, "It is true that a dragon's scales will grow back, but almost all of his skin? He might recover with some help from a skilled healer, but he will likely have numerous scars… And his wings…" He sighs. "A dragon's wings do not grow back… Darkfire will be heartbroken to learn that he will never be able to fly again…"

The next several minutes seem to last an eternity, an eternity where everything is silent.

Finally, the empty silence is shattered by the sound of the door opening followed by several sets of footsteps.

*POV Shift*

*Ivan's POV*

"Hurry, Darkfire is hurt badly." I say, my voice filled with fear as we rush to the inn, followed closely by the town's healer. Opening the door, I rush into the room, worried about Darkfire's condition.

Upon seeing Darkfire, the healer gasps, shocked both by the fact that he's part dragon and by his condition.

"You never told me he was a dragon," the healer says, walking over to Darkfire's bed. "I have never treated someone this badly injured, let alone a dragon."

"Is there anything you can do?" I ask worriedly.

Nodding, the healer replies, "Yes, but it will take a while. Treating wounds like this is no easy task, luckily dragons are known for their speedy recoveries."

Standing next to Mia, the healer starts working, removing the old, improvised bandages we made to cover Darkfire's wounds and applying some medicinal herbs to the wounds.

"You did well to cover his wounds," the healer says, sounding slightly relieved. "Most people I treat don't cover their wounds, resulting in the wounds becoming infected."

Sighing, he begins to apply fresh bandages to Darkfire's wounds, covering the exposed flesh where his skin was cut off. "It is good you came when you did, even with the bandages you applied his wounds could have become infected if left untreated much longer."

"Unfortunately," he begins, sighing. "I can't do anything about his wings. I can treat most injuries, even revive people who have been downed in battle, but I cannot regrow limbs."

*POV Shift*

*Gold's POV*

"Unfortunately," I hear the healer begin, sighing. "I can't do anything about his wings. I can treat most injuries, even revive people who have been downed in battle, but I cannot regrow limbs."

Saddened by the news, I look away, tears threatening to spill from my eyes. _Darkfire… _Tears begin to roll down my face as I think about how hurt he will be when he finds out that he'll never be able to fly again. _I'm so sorry… How will you be able to cope with the loss of your wings? A dragon's wings are his pride, and for him to have lost his… He's going to be heartbroken…_

Feeling a hand on my shoulder I turn to see everyone looking at me, the same expression of sorrow on their faces. Now crying, no longer caring who sees, I look up at the owner of the hand, my mate Silvera.

"How will he deal with not having wings anymore?" I ask as tears fall from my eyes. "A dragon's wings are his pride! And now Darkfire has lost his!"

"…" Silence. For several long minutes, no one says anything, all of them taking in what I just said, Silvera crying slightly.

Looking away, tears falling from my eyes, I continue, "it's just… not right. A dragon's wings are very special and important. A dragon without wings…" I start crying. "A dragon without wings will be shunned and ignored by others! He'll never be able to find a mate of his own now! No female will want anything to do with him now that he's lost his wings…" I look up, tears pouring from my eyes. "He'll be alone forever now!"

Everyone remains silent, the only sound in the room being that of Darkfire's labored breathing. Issac looks down, obviously saddened by the news. "We're the only people Darkfire has in his life. He never really had any friends besides Neri growing up. And now… now he'll likely never be able to find a mate."

Issac is the first to speak, "A dragon's wings… Seems like they're just as important as an Adepts ability to use their Psynergy."

"Sadly," Silvera says, "a dragon's wings will not grow back. That is why we are so careful to protect them. "I'm worried about him. We dragons rely so heavily upon our wings that losing them often leads to death."

More awkward silence, no one daring to speak. Soon, we all begin to cry quietly, saddened by the knowledge that Darkfire's loss was one of the worst things that could possibly happen to a dragon.

_Darkfire,_ I think sadly, tears dripping down my face. _I'm so sorry… How will you live without your wings? You're too young to have to suffer this loss, you still had so much ahead of you, so much that you'll miss out on without your wings…_

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by the feeling of a hand being placed on my shoulder. Turning to look at the owner of the hand, I realize that it's the healer that came to help with Darkfire's wounds.

"I wish there was more I could do," he says. "He will live. I was able to treat most of his wounds and stop the bleeding, but there's nothing I can do to regrow limbs."

Nodding sadly, I respond, "I understand… Thank you for all your help…"

Nodding, the healer turns and leaves, speaking as he goes, "Don't worry about the payment, I'm just glad I was able to help." And like that, he was gone, returning to the town's sanctum.

Now, we all find different positions around the room, deciding to wait for Darkfire to wake. _I just hope I can figure out how to tell him about his wings before then…._

**Well, that's it for now. Sorry once again for the long wait, hopefully the wait for the next chapter won't be so long. Until then, remember to Read & Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys! Darkfire here with a new chapter for all of you readers out there! I will warn you, this one may get a bit graphic. Now, I've noticed that very few of you ever review. I'd like to see that change, the more reviews I get the more motivated I'll feel to keep writing! So please remember to Read & Review!**

**Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey**

**Chapter 7**

*Darkfire's POV*

_I open my eyes to find myself in a strange clearing, on what seems to be an island floating in a vast, white emptiness. Looking around in confusion, my mind goes back to the encounter with the bandits in the cave, and the injuries I sustained as a result. My thoughts are interrupted by a female voice, one that seems oddly familiar._

_ "Darkfire…" the voice says, calling my name._

_ Startled I look around quickly for the source of the voice, fearing an attack at any moment from any angle._

_ "Do not be frightened, child. I mean you no harm."_

_ There it was again! Who is that? Why do I feel like I've heard that voice before?_

_ The voice sighs before continuing, "Have you already forgotten Darkfire?" A familiar figure forms in front of me as the voice continues to speak. "We met just a short while ago, and yet you have already forgotten."_

_ "T-Tiamat…" I say in awe, both amazed and terrified by the power and grace of the ancient female, her purple scales shimmering in the bizarre light that fills the clearing._

_ "Ah, so you do remember!" she says. "Good. I suppose you have questions?"_

_ I nod timidly, nervous about being around the much stronger dragon. "Wh-where am I?"_

_ "Hmmm. A difficult question to answer." She says. "You are not in any physical place, this is a dream, not a physical location."_

_ Confused, I ask, "A dream?" She nods. "Why am I here?" I ask her, wanting to know what's going on, terrified at the possibility that she might be here to kill me._

_ "I brought you here to protect you from the pain of your injuries and to speak to you about something of great importance." She says, her voice both gentle and powerful._

_ "Something important? What?" I ask her, now even more confused than before._

_ "I came to speak about you. What you are."_

_ "What I am?" I ask, not understanding any of what she is implying._

_ "You are bizarre, Darkfire. You are something that has never before existed, and something that should not be able to exist at all. You are filled with darkness, yet you do not seek to kill and destroy, a dark creature without the instinctive desire to spread chaos and destruction. And yet, in contrast to the great darkness inside you there is also a light."_

_ "A light?" I ask confused. Does she mean I have a candle in my stomach or something?_

_ "Yes. You are a very strange creature, Darkfire. Within you there is both darkness and light. Two energies that should not be able to exist together and yet within you they blend and mix. Such a thing is unheard of." She says. "The fact that you can even live is baffling, the ancients believed it impossible to even manipulate light and darkness, let alone blend the two."_

_ "So… Wh-what am I?"_

_ She sighs. "I do not know."_

_ Huh? She doesn't know? Didn't she say she brought me here to talk about what I am?_

_ "It is possible that you are a completely new species, or even that you come from a different world all together."_

_ A different world? Huh? Now I'm really confused…_

_ She remains silent for a time before continuing, "The ancients believed that there were other worlds that existed besides Weyard. I do not know for certain, but it is possible that perhaps another world has become linked with our own, altering both worlds and possibly allowing beings from one world to travel to another."_

_ "How can there be more than one world?"_

_ More silence. "Come to Mercury Lighthouse, I shall await your arrival. But now it is time for you to wake."_

_ "Wait, you haven't-" I'm cut off before I can finish as the dram world seems to dissolve around me, being replaced by darkness._

I open my eyes, groaning at the bright light I see as I wake up and at the pain I feel throughout my entire body.

"He's awake!"

"Huh?" I look towards the source of the voice and quickly realize that it's Issac. "I-Issac? Wh-where am I?"

He sighs, "You're at the inn in Bilibin. You were badly injured and almost died… It's a miracle that you're even awake, the healer expected you to be out for at least another week."

Groaning, I sit up, ignoring everyone's protests. "Why can't I feel my wings?" I look behind me to check on my wings and gasp in horror at what I see. My wings are gone. "Wh-what happened to my wings?" I start to cry.

"Son…" my father says, his voice filled with pain and sadness. "Th-they took your wings… I-I'm sorry…" He hugs me. I don't feel him. The world feels empty. I feel incomplete.

All I can do is sit there in shock, repeating myself as I speak in horror. "They're gone… They're gone… My wings are gone… I-I'll never be able to fly again… Th-they took my wings…" I cry harder.

"My wings…" I've lost the one thing all dragons value most, their wings. Without them I'm little different than a giant lizard. A sad creature that will never again know the joys of flight. "They took my wings…" I scream.

I get up, my eyes burning with hatred. I roar and try to rush out the door. They stop me, holding me back as I struggle, desperate to hunt down and murder the ones that took my wings from me. The only thing I can think of is having the blood of the ones who took my wings coat my claws, the taste of their flesh as I-

"DARKFIRE!" I jump in surprise as I hear my father shout my name, snapping out of my thoughts. I stop struggling and they immediately move me back to my bed. "Dark, I know you are angry and hurt, but you need to rest. You have to stay calm."

I just lie there staring at the ceiling, images of the bandits' bloodied remains flashing through my mind, images of me killing them, images of me eating them. I feel the strong to desire to kill, something I have never felt before. It is a foreign feeling, completely alien, pushing itself to the front of my mind. I start to growl and hiss, imagining myself slashing their stomachs open and spilling their insides onto the ground.

They must have noticed, because I hear my mother approach and speak. "Dark? Are you ok sweetie?"

I simply growl in response, imagining the blood of the bandits spraying across my face as I rip their throats open.

"Dark…" she gently nudges me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I want to hurt them…" I say, my voice cold and emotionless. "I want to make them pay for what they did. I want to rip their flesh with my claws, the tear their throats open, to _devour _them." Silence. "I've never felt like this before… Why do I feel so angry?"

I feel my mother's arms around me in a gentle hug; my anger starts to melt away. I cry, tears pouring from my eyes. "I'm in so much pain… It hurts so much…"

She hugs me tighter. "I know…"

I hug back, crying. I can't stop. I cry more, filled with sorrow. I'll never be able to fly again; I'll be bound to the ground just like a human. Never able to experience the joy of flight ever again.

I can feel the sadness and anger of the others, all of them hating to see my pain. I feel loved. I have friends, something me and Neri never had growing up. We were always outcasts because we were different.

"Darkfire…" Neri says sadly, obviously upset to see me like this. "I-I'm so sorry…" She starts crying.

I look away, feeling worthless without my wings. I try to hide my tears, but I can't. I cry. I am filled with pain and anger, hating those humans who did this to me, wanting to hurt them, to make them bleed.

No, I force those thoughts from my mind. I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to become a monster.

And yet… The thoughts return, I think about myself killing them. I try to fight it, to force these dark thoughts from my mind. I think of my family, my friends, I remind myself of what is truly important, of the people who care for me.

"Darkfire…" my father sighs. "You should get some rest, you're still weak from blood loss."

I say nothing, choosing instead just to lie down. Within minutes, I drift off into the warm embrace of sleep.

**A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter guys! Hope you enjoyed it! And remember to leave a review so I know how I'm doing and what I can improve!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys! Darkfire here with a new chap! Now, I've decided to try something new with this chap. I've decided to include a "song of the chapter" in an attempt to enhance the mood. Any songs I use will be available on youtube. This chapter's song is "Silence" by Hatsune Miku. Now, without further delay, on with the story!**

Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey

Chapter 8

*Darkfire's POV*

"_Wh-what? Where am I? Is-is this another dream?" Getting up, I look around to find myself in some sort of ancient temple. "How did I get here? This has got to be a dream."_

_ Deciding that my best bet of finding answers is to start walking, I take the only path available to me at the moment, heading straight, deeper into the ruins._

_ As I walk, I begin to notice strange, glowing runes on the walls that give off a brilliant silver light as well as particles of what I can only describe as pure darkness floating up from the floor. For some reason, I find that silver light and those dark particles to be oddly soothing._

_ "This is too weird... This place feels familiar somehow, and yet I know I've never been here before…" as I continue walking, I notice several strange creatures unlike any monster I've ever encountered hiding in the shadows._

_ On several occasions, the creatures would try to attack me only to screech in pain and recoil from the silver light, almost as though it hurt them. Strange considering I find the light to be just as soothing as the dark particles._

_ After walking for what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, I reach what appears to be a massive, stone door guarded by two massive statues depicting ancient dragons wearing some sort of bizarre armor, one on either side of the door. Upon closer inspection, I realize that the right statue and the left half of the door are covered in the same glowing, silver runes that cover the walls while the left statue and right half of the door are covered in black runes that seem to emit the same dark particles that seem to float up from the ground._

_ Nervous and a bit wary, I slowly approach the door only to jump back in surprise when the statues move. Panicked, I reach for sword only to discover that it's not there. "Shit!" Closing my eyes and bracing myself for whatever attack the statues are going to throw at me, I'm surprised when nothing happens._

_ "Darkfire…" the voice comes as nothing more than a whisper._

_ Surprised and confused, I open my eyes and immediately look around for the source of the voice. "H-hello?"_

_ "Darkfire… Welcome…" the voice speaks again and, at the same moment, the two statues bow and the heavy stone door swings open silently. "Darkfire… Enter… Claim your inheritance…"_

_ Slowly walking through the door, still looking for whoever is speaking, I ask, "Inheritance? What are you talking about? My parents are still alive, and they've never mentioned any place like this."_

_ There's a long pause as I walk down the passage way before the voice responds. "Claim what the ancients have left for you… Claim your inheritance, Darkfire…"_

_ The ancients… The people who built the Elemental Lighthouses and the various other ruins across Weyard… "But what would the ancients want with me?"_

_ "You are much more important than you realize, Darkfire… Tiamat and Eclipse have begun to suspect just how important you are, but until the time comes when they finally realize your significance, you will have to teach yourself…" More riddles, not what I wanted._

_ Soon, the corridor ends, leading directly into a large, circular room with a pedestal in the center. "Step forward, Darkfire… Claim your inheritance…"_

_ Slowly approaching the pedestal, I notice something embedded in it. Getting closer, I realize that it's a sword. "Take sword in hand to face the darkness that threatens our land…"_

_ Standing at the base of the pedestal, I reach out to touch it, gripping the hilt with both paws before slowly lifting up, drawing the blade from the stone._

_ Raising the blade above my head, I'm blinded by a flash of light, screaming out at the sudden burning sensation shooting through my right arm._

_ "This is your inheritance, Darkfire… Use it well…"_

_ With that, the dream fades._

Groaning, I open my eyes to find myself still in bed at the inn. "Whoa… What a weird dream… It felt so real!" Glancing at my right arm, I'm shocked by what I see. "What the…?" My entire forearm is covered in the same, strange runes from the temple in my dream. Half of them a shining silver that seems to give off an intense light, the other half a pitch black, darker than even my scales, that seems to draw in light and emit the same dark particles from my dream. "This is too weird…"

Looking at the table beside my bed, I'm surprised to see the sword from my dream, its blade a pure black with silver runes like the ones on my arm. Now that I look at it closely, it kinda resembles Felix's Sol Blade.

There's a knock at the door and I hear a familiar voice, "Dark? Are you ok?"

"Y-yeah Mia. Come on in."

*POV Shift*

*Mia's POV*

Worried by the sounds coming from Darkfire's room, I quickly walk over and knock on the door, "Dark? Are you ok?"

After a few seconds, I hear a reply, "Y-yeah Mia. Come on in."

Opening the door, I step into Darkfire's room, immediately noticing the way he hides his right arm from view. "Dark?" I ask, concern evident in my voice, "What happened to your arm?"

Sighing, he slowly reveals his arm, causing me to gasp in surprise. "Wh-what?"

Across his entire forearm are strange runes, some of them glowing with a shining, silver light while others seem to suck in all the light around them and emit nothing but pure darkness. "What the hell are those markings?"

"The hell if I know," he says, sighing. "Maybe the others will have an idea?"

I nod, "Maybe they will. Let's go ask"

Getting up, he walks over to the door, seeming to move a bit quicker than usual. Writing it off as just being my imagination, I exit the room with him.

*POV Shift*

*Darkfire's POV*

As we exit my room, I feel as though I'm moving quicker than usual. Quickly writing it off as being nothing but my imagination, I ignore the feeling and walk over to the others.

Felix is the first to notice me and, being silent as always, simply nods in greeting.

Noticing the action, Jenna is the first to turn and face me. "Dark!" she shouts happily. "You're awake!"

Turning around, the others all smile and greet me. Deciding that now is as good a time as any to get some answers, I show them my right arm. "Any idea what the hell these are?"

"…" No one says anything and an awkward, uncomfortable silence fills the room.

"Dark," my mother is the first to speak, "what are those markings?"

Sighing, I reply, "The hell if I know… I had this strange dream then woke up with these markings on my arm and this sword lying next to me." As I say this, I pull out the black sword. "It kinda looks like the Sol Blade Felix has."

"A dream? What was it about?" my father asks, his voice filled with both curiosity and concern.

I shake my head, "I'd rather wait to explain it when we reach Mercury Lighthouse so that I don't have to explain it again for Tiamat and Eclipse to hear."

Nodding, everyone agrees to wait till Mercury Lighthouse for my explaination.

Looking back at the strange sword, I can't help but wonder what the future holds for me, what my purpose is, and what I am.

"Come on," I say, picking up the sword and strapping it to my back. "Let's get going." With that, I start walking towards the door, the others all following closely as we set out to resume our journey and to unravel the numerous mysteries that now surround me.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey guys, more for Darkfire's Journey! I'm trying to make up for the long period of time I went without updating; I really want to make this a good story. I don't have a song for this chapter, so let's get started!**

Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey

Chapter 9

*Darkfire's POV*

"Thanks for staying, I'm glad you're doing better now." The innkeeper says kindly.

Smiling, I nod. "Thanks, I just wish I could have stayed here under better circumstances." Taking out a small bag of coins, I hand them to the innkeeper, receiving a surprised look from her followed by a kind smile.

"Thank you. I wish you luck in your travels," she says in her usual, cheery tone.

"Thanks," I say, turning to face the others. "Everyone ready?"

They all nod, each carrying their weapons and gear as always, Felix remaining his usual, quiet self and not saying anything. "Then let's go." And, with that, we head out, leaving the inn and heading towards the town's main gate.

Upon leaving town, we immediately start heading north towards Imil and Mercury Lighthouse, eager to see Tiamat and Eclipse, and possibly get some answers.

Slowing down to let Issac take the lead, I turn my attention to my right arm, examining the markings that cover it. "So strange… I wonder what they are?"

"Still thinking about those markings?" startled out of my thoughts, I jump at the sound of Ivan's voice.

Looking at him, I reply a bit slowly and quietly, "Y-yeah… I-I just don't know what they are or why they suddenly showed up on my arm…" I sigh.

Frowning, he speaks, "Maybe they mean something? I mean, what are the chances that they'd just randomly show up?"

I frown and look back at my arm, and, for a second, I could've sworn I saw the markings glow a bit brighter. Probably just my imagination.

"Uhhh…" my thoughts are interrupted, yet again, this time by Issac. "Guys? We've got company."

Looking up yet again, I groan at what I see. "Just great," I say, voice filled with obvious distain, "more monsters to fight." Pulling out my strange, new sword, I rush towards the twisted beasts, eager to end this fight quickly, not even caring that they look unlike any other monster I've ever seen even as I slip into a strange, unfamiliar haze that clouds my mind, only partially aware of my own actions.

Dodging a blast of Fire Psynergy from one of the monsters, I leap into the air, bringing my sword down on the foul, twisted creature in a strong, jumping strike, neatly cleaving it in half. With a feral grin, I spin around and slash at a second monster, what appears to be a darkened Slime Beast, before darting forward, right paw covered in a bizarre combination of light and darkness, and rip into its soft body with my claws, destroying it.

Someone yells, "Watch out, Felix!"

Looking over, I spot a larger creature moving towards Felix, intent on killing him. Letting out a feral growl, I dart forward faster than I've ever moved before, sword dragging on the ground behind me in a shower of sparks, and roar a challenge at the monster, distracting it long enough for Felix to jump back. Grinning savagely, I rush forward yet again, intent on annihilating the creatures that would threaten my friends, eager to spill their blood.

*POV Shift*

Felix's POV

"!" jumping back, I narrowly avoid the monster's attack in time to see a large, black blur slam into it.

The monster shrieks as the blur, which I now recognize to be Darkfire, rips it apart.

"…Thanks…" I say, keeping it brief and quiet as always, never really being one for words.

"…" he says nothing, simply looking at me for a brief second, long enough for me to see the savage glee in his eyes and a hint of something else… Anger? Pain? I really can't say. All I know is, something's happened to Dark, he's changed.

Roaring, the feral creature that was once Darkfire speaks in a cold, dark voice, "No one touches my friends!"

"!" I really was not expecting that. He can still remember us? Even like this? Incredible.

Rushing forward to meet the next group of monsters, he destroys everything he sees as a threat. A threat to either him or us. After mere minutes, he's annihilated every single monster, leaving nothing but their rapidly deteriorating corpses, rapidly dissolving into tiny, dark particles. Particles that seem drawn to his body, absorbing into him. What exactly IS he?!

*POV Shift*

Darkfire's POV

I killed them. I annihilated the monsters. Their bodies are dissolving around me, decaying into dark particles similar to the ones that are emitted by my black marks. Those particles, I feel like I'm absorbing them, growing stronger simply by being near them. It's a strange feeling, one I can't describe. And that fight… I felt so strange during that fight. I felt no pain, no emotion but love and hatred. Love for my friends, and hatred for the monsters.

I was a feral beast. I-I so easily killed those monsters where the old me would've hesitated… What's happening to me? What am I? What am I becoming?

"D-Dark…?" it was my mom, she sounded terrified.

"Mom…" I reply, uneasy and unsure. "What… what am I?"

"Dark…" she hugs me, I hug back, not bothering to hide my tears.

_You and your friends must move, Darkfire. It's not safe there._

Huh? Confused, I stop crying for a moment, looking up at my surroundings. That voice… I know I heard it, the same voice from my dream.

"Dark?" my dad asks. "Are you ok son?"

Growling, I grab my parents' hands and pull them, starting to walk even as I speak. "We need to move."

Surprised by my sudden outburst, everyone silently follows me as I lead the way towards the frozen town of Imil, the village at the base of Mercury Lighthouse.

Moving quickly, none of us notice the gradual change I'm going through, no one but me. I can feel myself… changing. Becoming something different, and yet the same. It confuses me, this strange feeling. What am I?

"Dark, slow down." Mia says, her voice sounding very tired.

Slowing down a bit for the others, I apologize, "Sorry." Am I moving faster than before?

_Your body is changing, Darkfire. It is adapting so that you might survive the difficult tasks that lie ahead._

Wonderful, now the voice in my head is telling me that my body is changing. What's next?

Even as I thought that, I could've sworn I heard the voice chuckle. _Your body will CONTINUE to change, Darkfire. It is a sad reality that your current form is… insufficient._

Insufficient? What the hell is it talking about? What's wrong with the way I am?

_All answers will come in due time, Darkfire. Just wait._

I sigh before looking at the others. "Hey guys?" I have to know what they think. "Have I… changed?"

For a long while, no one speaks, everyone being afraid to break this silence.

Eventually, Felix breaks the silence, speaking for the second time that day, "Yes."

Sighing, I start walking again, quickly making up the ground of lost, all the while worrying about what this change I'm going through will do to me. Once again, that same question comes up: What am I?

**A/N: Well, that about wraps it up for this chapter. Looks like I've got a pretty big problem to deal with, huh? Exactly what's happening to me? And before you make some smart-ass remark, no it is NOT puberty.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Well, I'm back with another chapter! Not really much to say, so… on with the story!**

Golden Sun: Darkfire's Journey

Chapter 10

My body feels… different. We're currently camped outside of the caves separating us from Imil and Mercury Lighthouse, using the tents we purchased in Bilibin for protection from the cold. Everyone but me is asleep, I couldn't sleep. I awoke a few minutes ago in horrible pain, and now… Now everything hurts…

_I am sorry, Darkfire… Your change is progressing rapidly… Far faster than I had anticipated._

Change… It still never explained what it meant. What exactly is changing? What part of me is going to be different?

I hiss at a sudden pain lancing through my body, setting every nerve on fire. I can literally feel my body twisting and changing, it felt like several razor-sharp blades burst from my back and shoulders, one especially large one where each of my wings used to be.

I scream, a horrible sound that wakes the entire camp, feeling my body mutate horribly.

_Something's wrong! _There's that voice… Is-is it doing this to me? _This shouldn't be happening! Darkfire, just hold on! Fight it! Don't let yourself become a monster!_

I scream louder, barely aware of anything but the pain spreading through me. Then suddenly, everything goes dark.

POV Shift

Gold's POV

Hearing my son's screams, I run into his tent to find a horrifying sight. My son lies there on the ground, completely limp as his body starts to change, mutating into a horrifying new form.

"Darkfire!" I shout, shaking his limp form, ignoring the numerous cuts the blades growing from his body make on my paws. "Dark!"

Mia comes in at that moment, pulling me back and healing my paws. Issac is the next to arrive, immediately drawing his sword and preparing to end the life of my son. Within seconds, he's standing over Darkfire with his blade raised, ready to deliver a swift killing blow.

I roar, "No!" Forcing myself to my feet, I clumsily pull Issac away from him. "That's my son! That's Dark! That's my little Darkfire!" I break down crying, unable to handle the sight of my son being warped and twisted into one of those things, one of those dark monsters.

"Th-that's Dark?!" Issac sounds shocked and disturbed. "Wh-what the fuck happened to him?!"

As we sit there, watching in silent horror, he stops screaming and twitching, the mutations slowing. When it's all over with, he's barely even recognizable anymore.

His back now has a series of sharp blades growing along it as well as one on each shoulder, one taking the place of each wing, these being larger than the ones on his back and seeming to hum with energy. He's also grown what appears to be thick, black fur in some places. The markings on his arm have spread, now covering most of his body, the silver ones seeming to be fewer in number than the dark ones. His horns are longer and crueler, having become sharp like the blades on his back. Even his tail changes, the scales fusing together to form hard, black, armor-like plates, the tip becoming narrow and sharp, perfect for stabbing and slashing.

Even the shape of his body has changed, looking less like a half-dragon and more like a beast. A very disturbing transformation, the sharp blades, the fur, the runes. All of it is just horrifying.

Then, he groans and starts moving, the blades shrinking back into his flesh, vanishing without any trace. As we watch, he slowly opens an eye, now blood-red and rimmed with gold, and asks a single question; "What happened…?"

POV Shift

Darkfire's POV

Groaning, I open an eye, not remembering how I ended up on the floor or when everyone came into my tent. "What happened…?"

"Dark…?" that voice was my mom's. "Dark, are you alright son?"

"M-mom?" I'm surprised by how different my own voice sounds, deeper and crueler, darker. "Wh-what happened to me? I-I feel strange…" Getting up slowly, I find it difficult to stand the way I'm used to and end up having to lean forward slightly to maintain my balance, my tail stretching out behind me to help.

She starts crying and rushes forward to hug me, wrapping her arms around me tightly. "Oh my son! What's happened to you?"

I hug back, looking down sadly, unable to understand how or why this happened. What am I? Am I even a dragon? "Mom?" my voice is unsteady and unsure, filled with confusion. "What am I?"

"Dark…" she lets go, looking me in the face with those sad, tear filled eyes. "I wish I knew, son… I really do…"

She doesn't know, either? If my own mother doesn't know what I am, then who will? "Am I… a monster?"

Everyone looks at me for a while, an uncomfortable silence filling the air. "Unlikely," that was Piers. "If you _are _a monster, you're unlike any monster I've ever seen. During my travels with Felix and the others, I fought a great many monsters, and none of them was able to speak. Nor did any of them show any form of emotion."

"Son, you're not a monster." My dad speaks, finally overcoming whatever force kept him silent. "Your body may have changed, but you're still the same person on the inside."

Mia speaks next, "There's no way someone like you could be a monster. You've never hurt anyone innocent."

_They are right, Darkfire. _Even the voice says I'm not a monster? _You are the exact opposite of a monster._

The exact opposite of a monster? Is that what I am? But, what IS the opposite of a monster?

"So… if I'm not a monster… then what am I?"

Either I have something on my face, or no one has a clue as to what the hell I really am, cause no one says anything for at least 5 minutes.

"What you are doesn't matter," Issac says. "What matters is _who_ you are."

Who I am… Yeah, that's right! That's more important than what I am.

Picking up my sword, I look more determined than ever. "Let's go. I want to keep going, to reach Mercury Lighthouse." Reaching behind me to place my sword in the sheath that was destroyed by my change, I'm surprised when the blade actually attaches to me, connecting seamlessly with my altered body. Apparently I don't need a sheath to carry my blade anymore.

Determined to reach the lighthouse and find some answers, I start walking, not noticing as the others remain where they are, staring at me in a mixture of shock, horror, concern, and confusion.

Snapping out of their daze, the others rush to follow me, not wanting to get separated again.

Packing up camp quickly, we set out right as the sun rises, eager to reach Mercury Lighthouse and possibly get some answers. "Let's hope for once we manage to cover some ground without having to fight off a swarm of monsters."

**A/N: Well, that was pretty short even for me. Sorry guys, guess that's all for this chapter. Please remember to Read & Review!**


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